A container of this type is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,847. Containers for flowers used in particular in the transport thereof, are generally known. Transport of large quantities of flowers normally takes place by stacking such containers close together and on top of one another on a pallet. In this state the packaged flowers can be efficiently transported by road and also by air. In view of the limited storage life of products such as flowers the conditions in which the flowers are transported must be optimal.
In this respect it is of great importance that the flowers can also be ventilated during transport. However, if transport takes place, as described above, in a state in which the flower containers are stacked close together and on top of one another, the ventilation leaves a lot to be desired. This problem occurs in particular with flowers located in containers located more in the middle of such a stack. However, if there is poor ventilation, the temperature in the flower containers goes up, whereby the quality of the flowers concerned soon deteriorates.
Owing to the living nature of the flowers, over-heating occurs in the container. The warm air caused by this rises in relation to the cooler air. To remove this heat there has to be an opening inside the container, since, if the relatively warm air cannot escape, moisture precipitates from it. The buds of the packaged flowers located at the top of the container must remain dry at all times, however, which means that accumulation of relatively warm air inside is very undesirable.
The advantage of ventilation means in both the walls and the carrier is that the removal of relatively warm air is ensured at all times. The containers do not have to be positioned exactly opposite one another, as would certainly be the case if the ventilation means were located only in the walls. In the latter case it would be necessary constantly to ensure that said ventilation means are directly opposite one another. In practice, though, this is very difficult to achieve, because it is impossible to work so precisely.
The ventilation means can be implemented in several ways. They can have any desired shape, for example partially circular, polygonal, etc.
However, the recesses result in less effective support at the upper edge.